


family, found

by revolution_but_civilization



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Adoptive Relationship, Adorable Pavel Chekov, Alcohol (a little but just fyi), Bones would be a great dad to Chekov, Chekov is the russian whiz kid, Chulu and McKirk are my OTPs, Family, Fight me on that, Fluff, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I keep on reading Chekov's accent as French, I know nothing about Georgia, I love all these space nerds, M/M, No beta we die like redshirts, badly written russian accent, sleep is for the weakkkk, smol must protect, when is he not adorable though, whoops, why sleep when you could be writing instead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:48:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26224438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/revolution_but_civilization/pseuds/revolution_but_civilization
Summary: Bones called Chekov 'kid' often enough, it was only natural that something like this would turn out to be true.---Inspired by a ring I found and this (https://captbexx.tumblr.com/image/117810158544) very adorable piece of fanart.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Original Female Character (past), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Pavel Chekov & Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Pavel Chekov/Hikaru Sulu
Comments: 16
Kudos: 82





	family, found

“He has your smile.”

It starts with that off-handed comment from Nurse Chapel after Chekov’s monthly physical.

\--

The next step comes about, as many things do, due to the proliferation of alcohol at alpha shift’s Friday night gathering.

“What’s that?” Uhara raised her eyebrow and gestured with the scotch bottle at the overly-large ring on Chekov’s right hand. “Did you and ‘Karu finally tie the knot?”

Chekov giggled. “No, zis ees my father’s. I forgot I had packed eet. I found eet in my quarters today.”

“Oh? Huh.” Uhara took a drink from her glass. “Well, it—"

“Wait a second,” Sulu interrupted. “Pavel, I’ve met your father. He’s got skinny fingers. How did that—”

“Ahah, yes. Zis vas from my biological father.”

At least half the group piped up at once. “You’re adopted?!?”

“Yes.” Chekov beamed, leaning back against Sulu’s side. “Surprise!”

“Ooh.”

Bones, off to the side being stubbornly flirted with by Jim, leaned forward with his eyes narrowed. “Chekov.”

“Yes?”

“What’s that on that ring?”

Chekov scooted over, worming the ring off his finger. “Eet’s a class ring. Here.” He handed it to the man.

Bones turned the ring in his hand while looking at it carefully. “I see…”

“Leooooooo,” Kirk whined, draping himself over Bones.

“Shove off, Jim.” Bones surveyed the ring another time. “Dahlonega High class of ‘44, huh?” He fixed Chekov with a serious look. “What was your dad’s name? Maybe I knew him.”

“I don’t know.” Chekov looked over his shoulder at Sulu, who was making faces at him, and stuck his tongue out.

Bones snorted. “I see I won’t be getting more information. Well, I won’t keep you from your boy there. Here you are.”

Chekov put the ring back onto his finger before returning to plop down in Sulu’s lap, already animatedly debating with him.

Jim gave Bones an odd look. “What’s your deal with that?”

“Nothing.” Bones pushed Jim aside and stood up. “You want another drink?”

\--

“You two good to get back to your quarters?”

“A-ok, doc!” Sulu said cheerily, but not without a hiccup.

Jim seemed to almost materialize at Bones’ side. “Heyyy.” He blinked for a couple seconds at Chekov, who was yawning and leaning heavily on Sulu’s shoulder. “He’s got your yawn, Leo.”

“Mhm.” Bones patted Sulu on the shoulder. “Well, I’ll be seeing you in medbay tomorrow for aspirin, I assume. Sleep well.”

When the two of them had left, Bones turned to Jim. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“The kid. Looks kinda like you. You screw his dad?”

Bones shot him a disgusted look. “That’s not the way that biology works.”

“Maybe.”

\--

Bones thumbed through his datapad’s photo archives, back to an old message his mother had sent him nearly half his life ago.

“Mm, what’re you doing?” Jim muttered sleepily, rolling over to face Bones.

“None of your business.” The light from the datapad illuminated Bones’ face as he looked up. “Trying to find an old picture. Go back to sleep, Jim.”

Jim huffed but tugged the blanket up over his shoulders.

The image of a young woman in a graduation gown, laughing uproariously, popped up on Bones’ screen. Blonde hair with a bit of a curl, bright eyes, unencumbered with excessive stature… Bones pursed his lips together. It was only a hypothesis, but it was strong enough that he could probably—

“Sleepytime, Leo.” Jim reached up and plucked the datapad out of Bones’ hand, placing it on the nightstand beside the bed.

“Fine.”

\--

The next morning brought, as predicted, most of alpha shift into the medbay for aspirin.

Chekov ran in about ten minutes before the start of shift, still in his pajamas and with a pastry in his hand. “Meester Bones!”

“It’s Doctor.”

“Ah yes, Doctor Bones. Do you have any of ze aspirin left?”

“You’re in luck.” Bones dug the last two tablets out of the bottle. “Here.”

Chekov popped them into his mouth, then turned to go.

“Wait.”

“Hm?”

Bones leaned back on the counter, appraising Chekov. “Do you happen to know your biological mother’s name?”

Chekov nodded enthusiastically. “She sent me a letter vhen I turned ten.”

“And… what was it?” Bones asked, steeling himself for disappointment. Or confirmation.

“Oliwia, uh—” Chekov cleared his throat hard and enunciated. “O-liv-ia. Olivia T—”

“Tisdale. Right?”

Chekov paused and looked confused. “Right. Did you know her?”

“I…” Bones let out a long breath, then lowered his voice. “Chekov, I believe that… I may be your biological father.”

“Vhat?”

“Hear me out, hear me out. I had a girlfriend when I was in my late teens and she got pregnant. How old are you again? Just turned eighteen?”

Chekov gave a wordless nod.

“That sounds about right. Eighteen years or so ago, I’d’ve been seventeen. Right time. And, that ring, I graduated with that class. And gave the ring to my girlfriend.”

“Oh.”

“You don’t have to believe me. But, I really do think—”

“I believe you.” Chekov lowered his head. “So… vhat’s the story?”

“I…” Bones swallowed hard, gazing steadfastly at a point on the wall somewhere over Chekov’s curls. “I was seventeen,” he started softly. “Her name was Olivia Ruth Tisdale. We’d met in junior high, and she was in my grade at—are you taking notes?”

“Sorry.” Chekov started to put the datapad away, but Bones stopped him with a shake of his head.

“It’s alright… kid.” He cleared his throat. “Well. Olivia. She was blonde, petite, absolutely beautiful. As well as one of the most intelligent people I have ever met.” Bones sighed almost dreamily. “We were in love, and, well, it went from there. A week or so after graduation, we found out that she was pregnant.”

“With me,” Chekov whispered, voice packed with something adjacent to awe. “Right?”

Bones smiled lopsidedly at the boy. “Yeah, with you. And, Pavel, can I call you Pavel?”

“Sure.”

“Okay then. Pavel, we were both so excited. We didn’t think of you as a mistake. We were excited.” Bones’ tone turned painfully earnest, and he ran a hand over his face. “I was going to marry her. I was. I gave her that ring.” He pointed to Chekov’s hand. “I was going to get a job, and she was going to the Institute of Technology.”

There was a significant pause, and Bones narrowed his eyes in deep thought.

“Zen what?”

Bones blinked a few times. “Oh. Well…” His gaze bounces from side to side and he slumped his shoulders. “A couple days later, Olivia was gone. Her grandmother said that her mother had taken her somewhere, but refused to tell me where. I guess…” He paused again. “

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Bones plastered on a wide smile. “You turned out to be a Russian whiz kid, so I’d say all’s well that ends well.”

Chekov was silent for a couple seconds, then he took a step towards Bones. “Can I hug you?”

“Aw, bring it in, kiddo.”

“Thank you,” Chekov mumbled, his face pressed into Bones’ shoulder.

Bones nodded minutely. “No thanks needed, Pavel, you’re my kid. Is that… am I allowed to say that?”

“Yes.” Chekov giggled, stepping back and wiping his eyes. “And you are my father.”

They blinked at each other for several seconds, then Bones grinned. “Well then, kiddo. Unless you plan to navigate in your pjs, you ought to get dressed,” he teased.

“Vill do!” Chekov gave Bones a bright smile and turned back to walk out the door. Just before he reached the hallway, he turned back and his expression turned to a mischievous one. “Does zis mean Joanna is my sister?”

“I suppose so, kid.” Bones huffed out a laugh. “You two are going to be insufferable together, I can already tell.”

As the medbay door slid shut behind a giggling Chekov, Bones smiled like the sentimental old fool he was deep down. Chekov, huh? There were certainly worse sons to have.

**Author's Note:**

> My favorite line in this is "Sleepytime, Leo." Just so you know. I thought it was hilarious at the time.  
> Second favorite is just the word "I'd've" because it's a fun word and even more fun to say.


End file.
